The Yashica TL Electro X

[jeff_livacich]

<p>Note: The TL Electros did not have LED's. Those are bulbs, and they work quite well. The first camera with LED meter indication was the Fujica ST801.</p>

[allen_gara]

<p>Ahh the TL Electro X. I've been working on a service manual for this one for like a year now. As Brett stated, the shutter timing is controlled by the battery charging capacitor C1 through a variable resistor under the speed dial. Anyone who works on old stereo equipment knows that old capacitors become leaky. I've repaired a few with anything from a static shutter speed to very far off speeds by replacing C1. The timing board and C1 are easily accessible under the bottom plate. Note that there are a lot of likely crumbly old foam seals that need scraping and replaced (most anyway, it's a bit of design overkill). Bits getting into the slow speed escapement seen on the right may actually be your issue. In any case, I replace C1 on anyone I have. Old electrolytic caps go bad eventually.</p><div></div>

[allen_gara]

<p>The timing board is removed with the two outer screws at top right and lower left. C1 is the 10uF cap, in the middle, sort of yellowish and axially leaded. The board is spring mounted under the left screw, so be cautious when lifting it off.</p><div></div>

[allen_gara]

<p>I buy the replacement from digikey.com in the US, but you can just search on the Vishay part number. It's the same size, same value, but higher voltage withstand (and cheap). A few careful minutes with a soldering iron and the timing should be much improved. The cap has a polarity, so make sure to mark the board before removing which hole is positive and which is negative. Solder the new one with the same polarity orientation. </p><div></div>

[brett_rogers]

<p>Excellent information Allen. I'll be filing this away for future reference! Thanks for posting it. So far the ones I've handled have featured shutters that were OK, but some examples certainly won't function. Have you had any sucess tackling the problem of their light meters drifting out of range to date?</p>

[allen_gara]

<p>Brett- I've recalibrated the meters to center, it's not too difficult. The metering is with a typical wiper arm that contacts against a resistance strip attached to the inside of a ring under the speed selector (just like rangefinders with built-in metering). The contacts and strip can be cleaned before adjusting center. But I haven't messed too much with adjusting the +/-LED positions (I haven't found any that were far off...yet). I can send some additional info in a pm. I have seen some drift around, but it seems more a case of the on-off switch under the front lever. Not sure it that's the same issue you've seen or not. </p>

[brett_rogers]

<p>Ahh OK, thanks for that, the switch actuated by the stop down lever is not an areas I've investigated yet. Any extra information about the meters in a PM would be very welcome Allen. Thanks muchly!</p>